


The Greatest Love Story

by getsomefic



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Ending, Awesome Morgana (Merlin), Declarations Of Love, Dragonlord Merlin (Merlin), Fluff, Good Morgana (Merlin), Love Stories, Merthur Party 2013, Platonic Male/Male Relationships, Platonic Relationships, Prince Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Protective Kilgharrah (Merlin), Protective Merlin, True Love, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:14:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27077866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/getsomefic/pseuds/getsomefic
Summary: After Camlann, Merlin couldn't accept that he couldn't save Arthur, so he pleads to Kilgharrah, asking for his help and Kilgharrah may have a solution.
Relationships: Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 45
Collections: Merlin Alternate Endings





	The Greatest Love Story

**Author's Note:**

> So I recently watched Merlin and I couldnt accept the ending. Hence I wrote this one-shot, with an alternate ending to the show, to Merlin and Arthur's story. I feel unlike any other love story, their story is more. Sure, it's not romantic, but why does love have to be romantic to be great?
> 
> Hope you guys like it!

“No! Arthur!” Merlin yelled as Arthur’s eyes rolled back. No matter how much he called out to him, he didn’t respond anymore. So, he summoned Kilgharrah as a last resort, asking him to help them get to Lake Avalon. 

“There is nothing you can do.” Kilgharrah said as Merlin tried pulling Arthur to the lake. 

“I’ve failed.”

“No, young warlock, for all that you have dreamt of building has come to pass.”

“I can’t lose him, he’s my friend!”

“Merlin, listen to me…”

“No! I can’t let him die. There must be some way! Something! Please!” Merlin broke down, falling on his knees, tears streaming down his face.

Kilgharrah remained silent.

“I’m begging you Kilgharrah. Please! I will do anything to bring him back. He cannot die for my mistakes.”

“Very well, young warlock.”

Merlin looked up at him.

“There is one way. But it won’t be an easy one.”

“I will do anything.”

“You have to go back in time and do this all over again from the very beginning. Nobody but you will have the knowledge of what you already know, but not a word of this reality should escape your mouth, for if you speak of what you know, you will be brought back to this reality once and for all. Only and only when Arthur unites Albion and accepts magic in the land, will this reality cease to exist.”

“Okay. I will do it.”

“Are you sure? Because you don’t need to. Arthur has already achieved a lot, laying the foundation of a great kingdom.”

Merlin said nothing for a while. “How do I go back in time?”

Kilgharrah sighed. “Very well. I will help you go back but remember, one mistake and everything that you have achieved will be undone and Arthur would also be dead. You must be very careful.”

“I will.”

“Close your eyes.”

Merlin complied and soon enough felt everything going silent and then he felt like he was falling.  
_

Merlin woke up with a start. He looked around and saw he was in Gauis’s chambers, in his own room. He walked outside and saw Gauis reading something.

“Good morning Merlin. Ready for your first day?”  
“First day?”  
“Yes. Don’t tell me you forgot!”  
Merlin knew exactly what he was talking about but he wanted to make sure he was right. So, he looked at him confused.  
“Your first day as the prince’s manservant.”  
Merlin sighed and smiled. So, he had come back in time, to save Arthur and this time he would not make any mistakes.  
“Yes, of course. I remember.”  
_

And so he went through all of it. He didn’t behave any differently with Arthur, although he had to stop himself from hugging him the moment he saw him. He said and did everything like he had done before, except a few things. Like, he didn’t help Modred. He didn’t even pass through the square where Modred had first called out to him. He later watched both him and his father get hanged from a slit in a palace window. He knew that the Druid boy wasn’t evil at heart but he couldn’t take any chances, not this time. As for Morgana, he took a chance, a chance at helping her.  
When her powers begun to show, he convinced Arthur to accept her for who she was and not tell Uther. He knew that Arthur would understand.

“She’s like your sister!”  
“She has magic.”  
“That doesn’t change the bond you have shared for so many years.”  
Arthur remained silent.

“Arthur, she is scared. She needs help, she needs someone to reassure her, to accept her. Don’t abandon her. She is not any different now that you know that she has magic. She’s still the same person, the same Morgana you grew up with.”

Arthur didn’t say anything but it seemed like he was thinking about what Merlin said.  
“You are her family, her only family. Uther will never accept her, but you can.”

“Magic doesn’t corrupt people, Arthur, hatred does. Don’t let her hate you.”

And Arthur did listen to Merlin. He talked to Morgana later that night. When she realized Arthur knew about her powers, she cowered to the corner of her room, afraid, shaking.

“Morgana, don’t be afraid. I won’t tell father.”  
She was till shaking, not saying anything.  
“You are like my sister, my family and nothing is going to change how much I care for you, not even if you have magic.”  
“But Uther…” 

Arthur sighed. “I don’t know how he will react, so we must not let him know. But, if he does get to know in any way, I swear I will protect you.”

“You accept me? Even though I have magic?” Morgana had tears streaming down her cheeks.

“Of course. A wise man told me that magic doesn’t corrupt people, hatred does. I don’t want to hate you Morgana, neither do I want you to hate me. To me, you will always be the one of the bravest and kindest person I ever know. Just, don’t change Morgana, magic or not be like the person you always were.”

That was enough reassurance for Morgana. She believed Arthur and when Gwen, Gauis and Merlin also stood by her side, helping her understand her powers, she knew she had everything she needed. So, when Morgause asked her to join her, she manipulated her instead and helped in her capture. She told her, “I don’t want such peace that results in bloodshed of innocent people.”  
Uther never found out about Morgana, he died peacefully and without any suffering and Arthur ascended the throne, with Morgana at his side, just like his father. Soon, he got married to Gwen. Morgana was the most excited on that day, picking out the best clothes and jewelry for the soon to be queen. Arthur did what he was supposed to, just like what the dragon had said. He united Albion, bringing peace among all kingdoms and he decriminalized magic. Morgana had learnt to control her powers and she became the court sorcerer soon after.

Merlin was happy. He had done it. Everything was good. The night the king declared that magic was no longer banned in Camelot, he dreamt of Kilgharrah at the shores of Avalon, but Arthur’s body was no longer there.

“Well done Merlin! You have proved yourself, you have succeeded in saving Arthur’s life. Now, this reality will no longer exist.”  
“Thank you.”

And with that everything faded away.  
_

Merlin walked to Arthur’s room with his breakfast the next morning. Gwen had left to visit a nearby village with Morgana, to identify children with magic and help counsel and train them. When Merlin entered the room he expected Arthur to be asleep, but instead he was already up and dressed in his royal red jacket and red shirt underneath with dark brown trousers. He looked at Merlin and smiled softly. 

“Good morning, Merlin.”

And Merlin couldn’t stop himself this time. He set down the breakfast and almost jumped at Arthur, engulfing him into a hug. He had waited for years, waited so that he could save Arthur, waited for this day and it was finally there. He didn’t care what Arthur thought, he just had to hug him once. After a moment he felt Arthur wrap his arms around him. He could feel tears welling in his eyes and he started pulling back, not wanting to ruin his jacket, but Arthur didn’t let him. He didn’t understand why. Sure, they had an almost similar relationship like in the other reality, but there were a lot of things that didn’t happen, lot of discussions they didn’t have. And then he heard a sob.

“Thank you.” Arthur said, his voice shaking. He was crying.

“Arthur, what…” This time he pulled back and looked at him.

“I thought they were just dreams, but now it all came back to me.”

Merlin looked at him puzzled.

“You saved me.” He let out a chuckle. “Well, you have saved me uncountable number of times, but this time you…?” He trailed off.

“I don’t understand.” Merlin was scared now. He hadn’t told Arthur about his magic yet. Had he found out in some way? Would he feel betrayed again?

“I remember Merlin, I was dying. You took me to Avalon. You talked to someone…you…you came back in time, for me.”

Merlin’s eyes widened at that. How did Arthur remember? Kilgharrah had said only he will remember the happenings of that reality.

“I cant believe that you chose a life with me, another time.” Tears continued to stream down his face. “Thank you is far less from what I can say. When I was dying, I kept thinking that I would never see you again, I would never see your stupid smile, I would never get to call your name, I would never hear you calling me by mine. And even when all this while I didn’t remember what had happened, I couldn’t think of you being away from me. I felt the same in both my lives. I feel so much more now that I have lived twice.”

He wiped his tears a little, not that his eyes stopped watering. Merlin was no different. He couldn’t believe Arthur remembered everything. He couldn’t believe that Arthur felt so strongly for him. He knew he cared for him but he never expected to be so vocal about it.

“I love you, Merlin.” Merlin’s breathe hitched. “I love you more than I ever loved someone, more than I ever thought I could love someone. It’s a love that I can’t describe. I love you more than how much I love my father, Morgana or Gwen. I love you more than Camelot and even myself. I don’t think I have any words to convey how much you mean to me, except that I want you to stay with me, by my side every day, for ever.”

“Arthur…” He choked a little. “I would choose to have a life, with you in it, a thousand times if I could. I haven’t had many people to love in my life, but I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have turned back time for any of them. I couldn’t lose you, it seemed like a part of me was dying. I love you, more than anyone can imagine.”

Arthur smiled through his tears, pulling him in an embrace.  
“Thank you so much, not just for saving me but for not leaving when I treated you badly, for tolerating my pratty behaviour, for being there for me all this time, and coming back one more time to go through with all of that again.”

Merlin pulled back just enough so that they were face to face. “I told you, I would do it again in a heartbeat if I had to, for there is no Merlin without Arthur.”

Arthur touched his forehead against his own. “There is no Arthur without Merlin too.”

And it was true, after all they were two sides of the same coin. Their love was like no other. It was definitely more than anything anyone had ever experienced. Yes, it was platonic, but it was still one of the greatest love stories that people talked about for ages.


End file.
